Finding Joy in the Journey Despite Challenges

Thank you, all, for making a difference in the lives of the horses and all the other animals here at Beauty’s Haven. Many of you have been with us for years whilst some of you are just getting to know us – we love making new friends! For those on social media who know me, I’m sure you have noticed I have not been posting as frequently as I have in the past. I used to post updates throughout the day and well into the night as I so love sharing stories about the members of our beloved little herd. Sadly, I’m no longer able to as the days here have become much more hectic.

We have a daily routine which works well for us and the horses. However, with an average of 33 horses here at any given time, the majority of which have special needs, no matter how well we plan our day, something unexpected often occurs.

Here are a few examples:

• Peggy Sue often needs assistance in getting up in the morning. Her pelvis was fractured while giving birth years ago and she is unable to bend her back leg. If she is lying on her left side, we have to roll her over and help her get up.
• Nicky, a blind mare, has gastrointestinal issues (she was starved off and on, repeatedly, over many years which wreaked havoc on her body), and some days, we have to bathe her and administer medications.
• We have horses with open tracheas which must be cleaned daily.
• A number of horses have chronic eye issues and their eyes must be cleaned each day and sometimes medication also needs to be administered, followed by putting on clean fly masks.
• Some have feet issues and have to wear boots which need to be cleaned daily.
• We must check several horses with respiratory issues and/or who don’t sweat multiple times throughout the day.

These are just a few examples of the attention and care required of our horses, and by the time we have addressed each of their daily needs, it is nearly midnight, and quite honestly, I have little time or energy to sit down and share the day’s happenings.

Also, some of you may be unaware that we also try to help horses and other beings that we are unable to bring into our program by providing hay, grain, and medications, or arranging visits by a veterinarian. While we aren’t a “big” organization per se, we are effective by making a difference in the lives of many animals and humans.

My absence from social media has also prevented me from sharing some of the many challenges that we’ve encountered over the past several months – since the pandemic arrived.

Donations went down considerably, while the prices of grain, hay, and many other items increased exponentially. Unexpected issues also arose which greatly affected our budget, issues from which, we are still trying to recover.

Extraordinary Challenges

• Hurricane Elsa brought a lot of rain and the emergence of much needed Bahia grass which helps cut down on the amount of hay we must buy. Grass has grown so well, in fact, that it’s up to the horses’ knees which puts them at high risk for eye issues and, in some cases, feet issues. Just ask JoJo – the last time a grass pod got in his eye, he did not at all enjoy standing patiently as the vet carefully, removed it! Nor did he like eye medication being administered three or more times each day. The rains have also caused weeds to take over and we are unable to mow because the mower is in the shop for maintenance and repairs with a bill of $1,100. This is something we need help with right away.
• We need to replace many of our water hoses that provide water to the paddocks. We have patched them over and over for years. We need hoses that are at least 100’ with brass couplings and a great warranty. You can find them on our Amazon “Wish List”.
• Our current vet bill is $1,200 and, with so many special needs horses, it continues to mount as each horse has specific, ongoing needs. This past month, x-rays needed to be done, blood tests were done, Ace’s knee was injected, etc.
• A number of items in our medicine cabinet must be replenished at a cost of at least $2,000. Many meds are quite costly. For example, Equinox ($255 for 180 tablets) and Prascend ($340 for 160 tablets) are disbursed daily to multiple horses. There are also other medications that we must keep on hand.
• Unexpected repairs on the rescue vehicle: $1,400.
• Original fencing along the road and behind Magic’s paddock was 30+ years old and needed to be replaced. It wouldn’t have withstood a hurricane. The cost, $11,000, was more than expected due to the price of lumber skyrocketing.
• The tractor broke down and $1,900 worth of repairs were done to make is usable. There is still another $1,200 worth of repairs needed. It’s 15+ years old, but it’s a good tractor.

And the list goes on…

• Shingles and a number of roof boards on one of the storage buildings had to be replaced at a cost of $2000. The building is air conditioned and is used to store grain and supplements. It made me quite ill when we recently had to dispose of 50+ bags of grain due to an infestation of grain mites. The door wasn’t sealing properly, thereby permitting hot, humid air to enter the building while cool air escaped, creating a perfect environment for grain mites to quickly grow and multiply. While we have temporarily band-aided the problem, the entire door, including the threshold, casing, jamb, etc. must be replaced at a cost of $700. Until this is resolved, we are unable to store grain, resulting in many more trips to the feed store, thereby using more gas (which has also gone up in price). The time spent going to the feed store could be spent on other things that need to be done here at the rescue.
• Some swamp coolers need to be repaired. We’ve opted to replace two, with a different make and model, which should require less maintenance, and thankfully, both have performed quite well, thus far. These coolers are truly, a life saver to horses that don’t sweat and/or have asthma or COPD.
• Mats that line the center aisle of the barn need to be replaced. They have held up well for 10+ years but the corners are warped which create a tripping hazard. Replacement cost is approximately $520.
• We store hay in two horse trailers (orchard in one trailer, coastal and alfalfa in the other) that were donated to the rescue and they both have leaky roofs (when hay gets wet it spoils) and other issues that need to be fixed. We have a 3rd trailer that we use to transport horses. We also have a flatbed trailer that we use to haul large pasture bales of hay and make runs to the dump. All of these trailers need repairs and maintenance at an approximate cost of at least $3,000.
• One of the golf carts needed new batteries ($900) and repairs ($400) a few months ago. Now, another golf cart needs new batteries ($900). The golf carts are one of the most valuable tools at the rescue and are used all day long pulling manure spreaders, hauling 30+ tubs of food and hay, etc.
• Lastly, we have recently been unsuccessful at raising adequate funds for our farrier needs with $623 still needed. Horses are trimmed every 4 or 6 weeks, depending upon their individual needs so this is a constant, recurring expense.

I have always felt uncomfortable when the need arose to ask for donations, and even after 15 years since the creation of Beauty’s Haven, it’s still a hard thing for me to do. But we are at a point where I simply must reach out for help during this most trying of times.

The fact is, this is the way in which charity organizations operate – they depend upon the generosity of supporters to enable them to provide for the needs of all the innocent and beloved animals entrusted to their care.

WONDERFUL NEWS!

Thankfully, we do have some great news to share. Upon hearing of our many needs, a very special friend and supporter has offered a most generous Match Game whereby all donations up to $5,000 will be matched dollar for dollar, provided we can meet an August 8, 2021 deadline to reach our goal. Once we receive $5,000 in donations (they must be marked for the “Urgent Match Game”), the $5,000 will morph into $10,000! This would help tremendously.

If you would like to donate via our Facebook Fundraiser page, please CLICK HERE. If you are not on social media and would like to forward a contribution, just click the “Donate” button below.

We truly understand that many are not in a position to donate, but you can still help by sharing this fundraiser amongst family and friends, and perhaps with a little testimonial, they will hopefully become comfortable with donating to Beauty’s Haven. Thank you for your love and support, we truly appreciate each and every one of you!

Sincerely,
Theresa